The question that will come up now as a fun exercize and in five years as serious business is whether Zach Thomas merits Hall of Fame consideration and ultimately will get into the Hall of Fame.

Thomas, 36, will officially retire from football today at a 4 p.m. press conference at Dolphins camp. As I reported this morning, he will sign a ceremonial contract with the Dolphins to retire as a Dolphin. In five years he will become eligible for HOF consideration.

So does his 12 seasons with the Dolphins merit consideration?

"Oh boy ... It's a hard question because there are so many good middle linebackers," The Miami Herald's Edwin Pope told me a while ago. Pope is the South Florida representative in the Hall of Fame voting so he not only gets a vote, but would present the case for Thomas in five years.